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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WIP Wednesday: with LOTS of Progress!

I have had a really big week this week! My little guy has actually been taking good afternoon naps (for once in his life) which has improved my production by quite a bit. He has never been a good napper, so this is a miracle in more ways than one!

I've been feeling really motivated to get my most important projects out of the way before I meet up with Julie and get some tops to finish for Phoenix Quilts.

The other day during nap time I started, and almost finished, cutting out a new dress for my daughter. I made one for her two years ago that was very ruffled and so cute, I'm sad that she can barely fit into it anymore. So she needs a new one, bigger so she can wear it for another year or two. This morning I cut out the last two pieces, the front and back bodice, so this one is ready to start pinning together. This fabric is from JoAnn's, and I think it's called Arabella.

I am mixing two different patterns and adding a little something of my own, and I didn't want to cut out the bodice pattern so I can use it again in a larger size. So I grabbed my trusty roll of medical examination table pattern making paper, and the last of it came off the roll! I got this roll in one of my classes in college, and I'm actually a little surprised that it's taken this long to use all of it. I haven't made nearly as many patterns as I was planning on, I guess. Time to find a new roll. This paper is FABULOUS because it's sturdier than tissue paper but thin enough to see through and trace onto easily. The fact that it comes on a roll is really convenient too.

I've also been working like gangbusters on this simple baby quilt for a new niece who will be arriving any day now (yesterday is fine with my sister-in-law). The fabric is some Summer Song by Riley Blake that I found for $5/yard at my LQS, along with a white-on-white print from my stash.

I strip-peiced two different four-patches, being careful to keep the fabrics right side up, and sewed them together for this really simple design. I started with 5 1/2" strips, so each block is 10" finished. The whole quilt will be about 40"x50".

I pieced the back a little on this one. I had one lonely yellow strip left, so I used it in the middle of the other two fabrics for the back. I had plenty of white, but a solid white back for a baby quilt didn't seem like such a good idea.

The quilting on this was really fun! I've been wanting to learn some new designs, and this is full of them. It has viney hooks, leaves, and flowers. My daughter's quilts, which were longarmed by someone else long before I started learning how, both have similar designs on them. I think it turned out really cute! I hope my new niece loves it.

I still need to finish the binding, but the Superhero Quilt needs binding too, so I'm going to have a big binding party one of these days and get them both done.

I finished quilting this one last Thursday afternoon. Here's a lamp post at night.

The bat signal.

Stark Tower.

The Daily Planet.

The border fabric.

The backing. I didn't plan it this way, but this is actually the back of the Daily Planet.

And to top it all off, I even made 5 strings blocks for a guild charity quilt!

Wow, it has been busy busy this week, but in a really good way. I'm grateful for all that I've been able to accomplish, and I've still had some great time to spend with my family! Win!

I'm a mom to four cute kids and wife to a wonderful guy who supports my fabric habit even though it takes up a large part of our basement. I have been sewing since age four and machine quilting since 2011. I started my longarm quilting business in 2012.

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For questions or to schedule an appointment, please email me at thequiltingmill@yahoo.com . I will respond as quickly as I can.

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